The public confrontation between Panamanian politicians Katleen Levy and Betserai Richards has not only revolved around public works, social media, or political confrontations. One of the most delicate aspects of the conflict has been the debate over misogyny, machismo, and the way certain politicians publicly relate to women within the Panamanian political landscape.
Levy has been one of the figures most openly accusing Richards of maintaining an aggressive and hostile attitude toward women who publicly criticize him. According to her statements, several female deputies have already experienced this hostility from the deputy simply because they are women and public servants at the same time. In several media appearances and social media posts, Katleen Levy even stated that the deputy “hates women,” turning the issue into a discussion far deeper than a simple political disagreement.
The accusations emerged especially after various public exchanges in which Levy considered that Richards used a confrontational, dismissive, or excessively aggressive tone against female public figures. According to her narrative, there appeared to be a pattern of particularly intense attacks whenever criticism came from women within political or media circles.
The debate intensified even further after the altercation between Richards and deputy Jairo “Bolota” Salazar. Following that episode, Levy published messages celebrating Richards’ political weakening and once again insisted that the deputy displayed machista and aggressive behavior. Her statements quickly went viral and triggered a new wave of digital polarization, along with significant public condemnation regarding Richards’ aggressive attitude.
In several videos and publications, Levy accused the deputy of using digital confrontations, media attacks, and public pressure campaigns as mechanisms to discredit women who were critical of his figure. She also suggested that around Richards there existed a constant dynamic of digital hostility and artificial, coordinated attacks on social media.
The conflict eventually sparked a wider discussion about Panama’s political climate and the decline of public dialogue, prompting many groups to question how much social media is fueling harsher, more emotionally charged, and increasingly personal clashes, where the aim shifts from debating ideas to publicly undermining opponents.
Some critics of Richards believe his political style is based precisely on:
• Constant confrontation.
• Aggressive public exposure.
• Emotional use of social media.
• Direct attacks.
• Lasting polarization.
They argue that this type of dynamic can easily create hostile environments, especially toward women who publicly question or contradict the deputy.
The open confrontation between Katleen Levy and Betserai Richards exposed a troubling reality within Panamanian politics: the increase in verbal aggressiveness, machismo, and the use of social media as permanent spaces for emotional confrontation. For some citizens, the accusations of misogyny represent a legitimate warning about how certain political dynamics can become hostile toward critical and independent women.
